


Hand to Hand

by arthurmorgan-s-heart (Silverblind)



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Drabble, Friendship, Gen, kieran needs friends!! ok!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-30 22:56:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17837594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverblind/pseuds/arthurmorgan-s-heart
Summary: Charles teaches Kieran how to fight with his fists (or tries, at least)





	Hand to Hand

**Author's Note:**

> This is a request fill from my tumblr blog. Uploaded here for convenience - find me on tumblr - arthurmorgan-s-heart
> 
> Original request text: "Nothing romantic but I’d like to make a request of Charles trying to teach Kieran how to fist fight"

“Come on, it’s not hard. Get your fists up.”

“L-like this?”

“Higher.”

“Like this?”

“That’s too high.”

Kieran heaved a sigh, letting his hands fall limp to his sides. He looked up at Charles, meeting his gaze - they’d been at this for half an hour, at least, but there was no impatience in his eyes.

“I can’t do this,” Kieran huffed.

“Yes, you can,” Charles shot back. “Come on.”

He raised his fists again, and Kieran hesitated for a moment before doing the same. He was grateful that they’d decided to step away from camp for this - he didn’t need anyone making fun of him.

“The goal is to not get hit, of course,” Charles said as he adjusted Kieran’s stance - feet wider apart, fists a bit lower. “But you can’t be afraid to  _get_ hit, either. Else you won’t get anywhere.”

“O-okay,” Kieran stuttered, watching as Charles stepped away, getting back into a fighting stance.

“Alright, try to hit me,” he said simply.

“Hit you?” Kieran lowered his fists, giving him a quizzical look.

“Well, I’m not trying to teach you how to shake hands,” Charles chuckled. “Come on.”

“Alright, I-I guess.” Kieran brought his fists up once more, taking a hesitant half-step forward before swinging wildly at Charles. He sidestepped the clumsy assault easily, tapping an open palm against Kieran’s ribs - just hard enough for him to gasp in surprise and stumble back.

“You can’t go in just  _hoping_ you’ll hit something,” Charles said patiently. “You have to be as precise as possible. Pick a target - the nose, the throat, the ribs, anywhere you know’ll hurt - and be  _quick_.”

“Ah - Okay,” Kieran answered, pressing a hand to his side, where Charles’ blow had landed. He shook his head as if to clear it, taking a deep breath and raising his fists again. “Okay.”

“Alright.” Charles smiled, taking his place across from him. “Come on.”

* * *

 

“Kieran? What happened there?”

Mary Beth’s concerned voice had Kieran looking up from his morning cup of coffee, a quiet groan escaping his throat when he turned his head too fast and jarred the sore muscles of his neck. He jumped slightly when he felt her fingertips brush his cheekbone, where he knew a bruise was starting to form.

“I - uh,” he started, looking up at her for a second before darting his eyes away. “I - Got into a bit of a fight, is all.”

“That right?” Arthur piped up from the other side of the campfire, a teasing curve to his mouth as he took a sip of coffee. “Ain’t that a surprise - the O’Driscoll gettin’ his hands dirty.”

Mary Beth tutted at him disapprovingly, and he simply chuckled, focusing back on his journal as she turned back to Kieran.

“Are you okay?” she asked softly, and his heart skipped a beat when she lay her hand on his. He cleared his throat, trying to fight the blush he felt rising to his cheeks.

“I - Yeah,” he answered. His eyes flitted to Charles, standing near Pearson’s wagon as he spoke with Ms. Grimshaw. Even from where he was sitting, Kieran could see the spot on his jaw where a red, angry bruise had blossomed. “You should see the other guy.”


End file.
